George w



G. W. MATT ERN.

.GOLF CLUB.. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2, I9 l6.

1 ,3 1' 9,23 3 Patented Oct. 21, 1919.

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GEORGE W. MATTERN, OF DAYTON, OHIO, AS SIGNOR TO THE CRAWFORD, MCGREGOR AND CANBY C0,, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

GOLF-CLUB.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, QEORGE W. MA rTERN, citizen ,of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf-Clubs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to golf clubs and more particularly to the mode of weighting or balancing the club by the addition of a body of metal thereto.

The object of the invention is to increase the efficiency of the club" by improving its driving power and the accuracy of the stroke by embodying in'the head of the club a peculiarly shaped body of metal as hereinoperation of their equivalent as hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawing Figure l is a perspective view of the head of a golf club in which the invention forming the subject matter hereof has been embodied; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the head of a golf club prepared to receive the weight. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the balance weight detached from theclub. Fig. 4 is a top plan view'of the head of a golf club embodying a weight of small size and illustrating by dotted lines the relative position and direction of the attachment screws. Fig. 5 is a similar view of a golf clubhead embodying a weight of larger size. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of golf club. head with the balance Weight embodied therein.

Like parts are indicated by like characters of reference throughout the several views.

It has not been unusual in the past to modify the balance or heft of 'a golf club by the addition thereto of a metallic counterbalance or weight embedded in or attached to the head of the club. However the tend- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 2, 1916. Serial No. 129,126.

ency has been heretofore to concentrate this weight as nearly as possible in alinement with the center of the striking; face or theoretically point of contact with the ball. If

of impact as'a center causing thev chub to swerve in one direction or the other thereby magnifying the inaccuracy of the stroke. Thus the concentrated weight while adding to the efiiciency of the skilful player who engages the ball with extreme accuracy in alinement with the weight, is a detriment to the unskilled player, servingto increase the error of his stroke.

This difficulty is overcome in the present instance by distributing the balance weight...

. of weight throughout the length of the golf club head is not abrupt but the weight is more uniformly distributed than is usual and extends throughout the Whole length of the striking face.

Not only is the weight distributed throughout the whole length of the striking face but thecounter-balance or weight is so shaped that its greatest depth or preponderance of material is found in a horizontal plane'on a level with the'point of impact with.

the ball. This concentration of Weight in a horizontal plane coincident with point of impact tends to overcome the tendency of the club head to tilt forwardly or rearwardly in the event that the player tops or scoffs the ball. Heretofore a counter-balthroughout a length equal to or greater than ance wei gh substan has been provided which is'of tia equal thickness throughout and which emcnds entirely through the head of the club. ltis to be noted that in the present instance the weight body varies in thickness from the thickness of the club head to a sharp edge on the medial plane.

In the dnmings, 1 is the head of the golf club of which 2 is the shaft or handle. The head 1 may be of any desired or usual shape or proportion. The forward side of the head 1 is fiat at 3 to form the'striking face which reinforced by thensual insert l. However as much as the insert 4: forms no part of such 'invention it may be omitted or modified to suit the conditions of use or the desires of the player. r

The rear side of the head-l or that side opposite the striking face 3 is provided with a horizontally disposed V shaped groove or recess as shown at 5 in Fig. Embedded within the recess 5 and conforming closely thereto a metallic counter-balance or Weight 6, shown in detail in Fig. 3. The outer face of the weight is shaped to conform with the contour of the head 1. The counter-balance or weight may be of any desired size and may extend more or less deeply into the head 1 as shown by the relative proportion of the weight 6 in Figs. a and 5. The tapered or "v shape of the groove 5 not only affords a maximum amount of metal in a substantially horizontal plane ap-' proximately coincident with the normal point of impact but it also serves to anchor the weight 6 .to prevent its vertical displacement under centrifugal tendency as the club is swung to and fro or under the influence of the shock due to impact with the ball. It will be noted by reference to the drawing that the 1 shaped groove is equal to or greater than the length of the striking face 3. Thus at whatever point of the striking face the ball may be engaged sufficient metal will be found behind the point of impact to afford increased driving power. Furthermore the weight being distributed more uniformly throughout the length of the strik ing face than in the devices heretofore used there will be less tendency of the'club to swerve and less tendency of the piayer to slice or to hook, thereby increasing the accuracy of the flight of the ball. By refer-' ence to Fig. 6 it is to be noted that the apex of the counter-balance or weight and there fore its center of gravity, is substantially on level with the center of gravity of the ball. Before placing the counter-balance or weight 6 within the-V shaped groove 5 the faces of the groove are coated with nondrying cement or coating material which prevents the material of head 1 from drying and shrinking away from the weight thereby loosening the weight in the head.

To rigidly secure the weight 6 in position ency of the weight to loosen or draw the screws fromtheir engagement with the head 1. To afford a finished surface and furthermore securely anchor the attachment screws 7, the said screws are counter sunk within the weight 6 as. shown in Figs. 4c, 5, and 6, and the counter sink above the head of the screw is filled with the metal as shown at 8.

This may be a metallic plug soldered, brazed or sweated into place, or the counter sink may be filled with molten metal. In the latter event the sides of the countersink are preferably undercut or provided with latterally disposed holes of sockets as at 9, into which the molten 'metal runs to securely anchor the closure plug or mask 8 in place.

By'the construction described greater distance on the drive and accuracy of flight of the ball may be secured. even where the stroke is not accurately delivered and with accuracy in driving the efficiency of the player is materially increased. The angular relation of the attachment screws and the V shaped recess 5 securely holds the balance weight against accidental displacement so that accuracy in driving is not affected by any looseness or play of the counter-weight.

From the above description itwill be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described, possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportion, detail construction of arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or -sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute, theinvention has been described in language more or less specific as to certain structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not. limited to any specific details but that the means and construction herein described comprise but one mode of putting the invention" into efiect, and the invention is therefore claimed broadly in any of its possible forms or modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention I olaim- I 1. In a golf club ahead provided with a striking face at its forward side and having in its rear face a substantially horizontally disposed grooved recess extending transversely throughout the length of the striking face and vertically throughout the thickness of the head, a weight seated within said recess, the top and bottom surfaces ofthe head and weight being flush one with the other and continuous, and means for securing said weight in positlon.

2.' In a golf club, a head provided with a striking surface on its forward side, a

wedge-shaped weight secured to the rear face'of said head with. its prism line hori- 'zontally disposed and extending throughout the length of the striking face whereby a portion of the weight w1ll be in the line of forceof any po1nt' of contact upon the striking face.

formed weight seated in sai means for securing theweight in position.

' 4,-In a golf club,"a head provided with 3. In a golf'club,'a head provided with I a striking face uponits forward side, and having a substantially. horizontally disposed groove in its rear-face extending throughout the length of the strikin face, a pregro ove, and

I a, striking face upon its forward side, and

5.1 In a golfclub, a head provldedwith a-strikin'g face upon its forward side, and

havinga 1 substantially. horizontally dis-y said weight to a firm seat in said rooveQ posedQVv shaped recess in its rear face extending transversely throughout the length of the striking face and vertically from the top -to thebottom surfaces of the head, a

weight fittedin said groove and" means to retain the weight inposition. v

6. 'In'a golf: club, 'a: head provided with a striking face upon its forward side, and having a substantially horizontally disposed grooved recess in the rear face of said head,

a weightseated in said grooved recess, and attachment members extended through said weight and engaged in theyhead, said at:

tachment'members being extended in different directionsangularly disposed.

7. In a golfclub, a head having a strik- I ing' face upon'its forward side and having a pocket having substantially straight divergent sides formed in the rear face of said head, a preformed weight member having like divergent sidesadapted .to fit Within 1 said pocket and means for drawing the weight to a firm seat within said pocket as.

described.

8. In a golf club,a head having a strik-- ing-face upon its forward side and an angular socket-in its rearward side, a preformed weight having an'gularly arranged faces positioned insaid angulars'ocket, and a pair of' screws-diagonally positioned in relation'fon'e with-the other engaging said preformed weight and head whereby the weight is drawn. into firm seating contact with the head, substantially is specified.

testimony whereof Irhave hereunto set my hand thisBOth day ofv Oct, A. D.

1916 7 -f GEORGE W. MATTERN. Witnesses? f v CHARL-EsI-LHLP Q WM. JJBERRY. 

